Supporting panel in combination with a holding device



D. L. SHANKS June 6, 1961 SUPPORTING PANEL IN COMBINATION WITH A HOLDINGDEVICE Filed Feb. 13, 1959 S ates Patent O SUPPORTING PANEL INCOlVIBINATION WITH A HOLDING DEVICE Donald L. Shanks, 188 Adams St.,Abington, Mass. Filed Feb. 13, 1959, Ser. No. 793,184 7 Claims. (Cl.248-224) This is a continuation in part of my pending patentapplication, Serial No. 558,944, filing date January 13, 1956, nowabandoned, for a Retainer Device to Hold Articles.

One object of my invention is to provide an improved holding devicewhich is firmly, yet removably, attached to a supporting panel, in anynumber, and which will hold articles of various sizes and shapes.

Another object is to so form said holding device with relation to saidsupporting panel, that it will bear on the latter at a plurality ofpoints thus making a firm and secure attachment of the device to thepanel that will so remain even in inverted position.

A further object is to so construct said panel and holding device thatthey may be manufactured on a quantity production basis economically andsimply.

The foregoing and other objects which will appear as the nature of theinvention is better understood, may be accomplished by a construction,combination and arrangement of parts such as is disclosed by thedrawing. The nature of the invention is such as to render it susceptibleto various changes and modifications, and therefore, I am not to belimited to the construction disclosed by the drawing nor to theparticular parts described in the specification; but am entitled to allsuch changes therefrom as fall within the scope of my claims.

In the drawing:

'FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of my supporting panel with aplurality of holding devices mounted thereon.

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view thereof.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5--5 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of my retaining device.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a modified form of my retaining device.

As illustrated, my supporting panel 10 may be formed of relatively thin,but firm, flat sheet metal. It preferably has two attaching portionsreferred to as a lower portion 12 and an upper portion 14 which may beattached to a main support such as a partition in a fishing tackle box,a wall or door of a building, an automobile dashboard, etc.,, as by anadhesive or nails or screws, etc. A front portion 16 is shown projectingforwardly of said lower and upperportion 12 and1 4. A lower connectingportion 18 and an upper connecting portion 29 extend angularly forwardfrom said lower and upper attaching portions 12 and '14.

. Slots or notches 24, spaced apart, are provided in said connectingportions 18 and 20,'as shown, and they'preferably extend a slightdistance into said front portion 16 as well as fully across saidconnecting portions 18 and 20 and slightly into said attaching portions12 and 14.

Said panel support 10 receives one or more retaining devices 28, made ofspring steel, for instance, which extend into an alined pair of lowerand upper slots 24 as shown. Said device 28 preferably has an upper endportion 30 that extends a short distance rearwardly towards said panel10, and from which a relatively long retainer portion 32 extendsdownwardly in position of use and which preferably slants slightlyforward and upward away from said panel 10. A connector or spacer2,987,288 Patented June 6, 1961.

portion 34 extends from said retainer portion 32 inwardly to a pointnext to said panel front portion 16. Said portions 30, 32 and 34 providethe retainer means of my device 28.

A front bearing portion 36 extends from said spacer portion 34 upwardlyslanting slightly upward and for: ward. An upper connecting bearingportion 38, shown in the form of a loop, extends rearwardly from saidfront bearing portion 36 and rests on the upper edge of said panel frontportion 16 where a said slot 24 terminates. A rear portion 40 extendsdownwardly from said connecting portion 38, extending slightly forwardtowards said front bearing portion 36 so that a relatively small space42 is left between it and the lower end of said front bearing portion 36to thus provide only a space enough to snugly receive said panel frontportion 16, thereby providing a double bearing there.

A lower hearing or connector portion 42 extends from said rear bearingportion 40 in a forwardly and downwardly slanting direction a shortdistance forward of said front portion 16 from which preferably extendsrearwardly a finger release portion 44. Said lower bearing portion 42enables one to firmly attach my device to said panel 10 since said lowerbearing portion '42 snaps into place against said panel lower edge. Saidrelease portion 44 also provides simple means to enable a persons fingerto push said lower connecting portion 42 and said release portion 44through a said slot and away from said panel front 16, so my device canbe separated from said supporting panel 10. Since it may be desirable tochange the positions of said retaining devices 28 on a said supportingpanel 10, said release portion 44 makes the removal operation easier.

Said retaining device 28 may be made of a single piece of spring steel.Its size, construction and relationship to said panel projecting portion16 is such that there are four bearing portions of said device on saidpanel, namely, where said upper connecting portion 38 contacts saidpanel front portion upper edge, where said front bearing portion 36contacts the front surface of said panel front portion, where said rearportion 40 contacts the rear surface of said front portion, and wheresaid lower bearing portion 42 contacts the lower edge of said panelfront portion 16. v

In FIG. 7 a modified form of retainer portion '46 is shown which slantsdiagonally forward and on which articles such as cups may be hung.

What I claim is:

1. A supporting panel in combination with a retaining device, saidpanel, in position of use, embodying a front portion, lower and upperportions extending angularly rearward from said front portion eachhaving a slot therein which slots are in substantially verticalalinement, said device embodying retainer means extending forwardlyofisaid front portion, a first bearing portion extending from saidretainer means upwardly and bearing against said front portion, aconnector portion extending from said first bearing portion through asaid slot in said upper portion and being adjacent said front portion, arearwardly extending portion extending from said connector portiondownwardly to said lower angular portion, and another portion extendingfrom said rearwardly extending portion through a said slot in said lowerportion forwardly and being adjacent said front portion.

2. A supporting panel in combination with a retaining device, saidpanel, in position of use, embodying a front portion, lower and upperportions extending angular- 1y rearward from said front portion eachhaving a slot therein which slots are in substantially verticalalinement, said device embodying retainer means extending forwardly ofsaid front portion, a first bearing portion extending from said retainermeans upwardly and hearing against said front portion, a connectorportion extending from said first bearing portion through a said slot insaid upper portion and bearing against said front portion, a rearwardlyextending portion'extending from said connector portion aownw r'siytqsaid lower angular portion; and another connector portion extending fromsaid rearwardly extending portion through a said slot in said lowerportion rearwardly and bearing against said front portion.

3. A supporting panel in combination with a retaining device, saidpanel, in position of use, embodying a front portion, a lower and anupper portion extending'angularly rearward from said front portion eachhaving a slot therein which slots are in substantially vertical aline-Inent, said device embodying retainer means extending forwardly of saidfront portion, a first bearing portion extending from said retainermeans upwardly and'fon wardly and bearing against said front portion, aconnector portion extending from said first bearing portion rear: wardlythrough a said slot in said upper portion and bearing against said frontportion, a rearw-ardly extending portion extending from said connecterportiondownwardly and forwardly to said lower angular portion, andanother bearing portion extending from said rearwardly extending portionthrough a said slot in' said lower portion forwardly and downwardly andbearing against said front portion. i

4. A supporting panel in combination with a retaining device, saidpanel, in position of use, embodying a front portion, a lower and anupper portion extending angularly rearward from said front portion, saidpanel having a lower slot and an upper slot therein in substantialalinernent, said lower slot extending from a point in said front portionupwardly and into said lower angular portion and said upper slotextending from another point in said front portion upwardly andintofsaid upper angular portion, said slots being in substantiallyvertical alinement, said device embodying retainer means extendingforwardly of said front portion, a"first'bearing portion extending fromsaid retainer means upwardlyand bearing against said front portion, aconnector portion extending from said first bearing' p ortion throughsaid upper slot and 'bearing against said front portions rearwardlyextending portion extending from said bonaeaorpqmba downwardly to saidlower ang ular portion, and another bearing extending from saidrearwardly extending portion through said lower slot'forwardly andbearing against said front portion. 7 V i d 5; A supporting panel incombination with a retaining 7 tion, said slots being in substantiallyvertical alinement, said device embodying retainer means extendingforwardly of said front portion, a first bearing portion extending fromsaid retainer means upwardly and bearing againstfthe front surface ofsaid front portion, a connector portionextending from said first bearingportion through said upper slot and bearing against said front portion,a rearwardly extending portion extending from said connector portiondownwardly and forwardly to said lower angular portion and bearingagainst the rear surface of said front portion, and another bearingportion extending from said rearwardly extending portion through saidlower slot forwardly and bearing against said front portion.

6. A supporting panel in combination with a retaining device, saidpanel, in position of use, embodying a front portion, a lower and anupper portion extending angularly rearward from said front portion, andtwo attaching portions extending angularly from-said lower and upperportions, said panel having a lower slot and an upper slot therein insubstantial alinement, said lower slot extending from a point in saidfront portion upwardly and through said lower angular portion, and saidupper slot extending from another point in said front portion upwardlyand through said upper angular portion, said slots being insubstantially vertical alinement, said device embodying retainer meansextending forwardly of said front portion,'a first bearing portionextending from said retainer means upwardly and bearing against saidfront portion, a connector portion extending from said first bearingportion through said upper slot and bearing against said front port-ionat the point of termination of said upper slot therein, a rearwardlyextending portion extending from said connector portion downwardly tosaid lower angular portion, and another bearing portion extending fromsaid rearwardly extending portion through said lower slot forwardly andbearing against said front portion at the point of termination of "saidlower slot therein.

7. A supporting panel in combination with a retaining device, saidpanel, in position of use, embodying a front portion, a lower and anupper portion extending angular- 1y rearward from said front portion,said panel having a lower slot and an upper slot therein in substantialalinement, said lower slot extending from a point in said front portionupwardly and into said lower angular portion and said upper slotextending from another point in said front portion upwardly and intosaid'upper angular portion, said slots being in substantially verticalalinement,

said device embodying retainer means extending forwardly of said frontportion and embodying atspacer portion extending rearwardly, a firstbearing portion extending from said spacer portion upwardly and bearingagainst said front portion, a connector portion extending from saidfirst bearing portion through said upper slot and bearing against saidfront portionI'a rearwardly extending portion extending from saidconnector portion downwardly to said lower angular portion, and anotherbearing portion extending from said rearwardly extending portion,through said lower slot forwardly and bearing againstsaid front portion.7

References Cited in the file of patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

